On his first day of training as a pro, David Choinière not only stepped on the same field as the Didier Drogbas and the Nacho Piattis; he also got praise from Montreal Impact head coach Mauro Biello and technical director Adam Braz. But one thing has been made very clear: the path to a professional soccer career is just opening for him.
“I’ve been told that this is the right moment for me to train every day with the pros and that I still have a lot to learn to become a good professional player,” Choinière said. “For me, this was the best moment to sign. I’m looking forward to playing my first minutes, but I know that I need to work hard for that to happen. I’ll work every day, learn from the veterans and give myself some time.”
The 19-year-old left winger from Saint-Alexandre is a young, quick player who runs at the opposition defence as much as he takes his defensive responsibilities. He will train with the first team while also remaining eligible for FC Montreal games.
“I like to challenge the opposition with the ball at my feet,” Choinière said. “I can bring my creativity to the attack. I want to improve my decision-making, among other things, to become a good player for the team.”
After seeing him in training every day during the 2016 preseason, Impact head coach Mauro Biello was impressed by the young player. “We saw some interesting things during preseason. In training, we could see that his level wouldn’t drop. We’re very happy. This is a young man with a lot of potential.”
Technical director Adam Braz, for his part, also underlined Choinière’s upside: “David’s done very well in recent years for us. We wanted to accelerate his development and put him in a first-team environment straightaway instead of waiting six months until January.
“David is an offensive player who can create as a dribbler. He sees things quickly. He’s got good feet and good technique. His mentality and character are strong. He’s good in the defensive transition and also works hard in the defensive phase. He’s got a lot of potential, and as we’ve told him, it’s only the beginning. He has to work hard to keep progressing and to prove to the technical staff that he deserves minutes, but we’re not putting any pressure on him. He just has to work, progress and try to improve both his strengths and weaknesses.”
